In an announcement that is anything but certain to cause a ripple in the NHL circles, the Ottawa Senators have acknowledged the signing of defenceman Tyler Eckford to a two-year, two-way contract. Financial terms of the deal were not released.

Eckford, 26, spent last season with the American Hockey League’s Portland Pirates, where he recorded a career-high 10 goals to go along with 15 assists and 37 penalty minutes in 75 games.

A Vancouver native, the 6-1, 210-pound Eckford has played in 245 career AHL games with the Lowell Devils, Albany Devils and Portland, scoring 22 goals and adding 73 assists.

Eckford appeared in seven career National Hockey League games with the New Jersey Devils over the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons, registering one assist and four penalty minutes. He was originally selected by New Jersey in the seventh round (217th overall) of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.